Speaking to media in a Portugal camp ahead of Wednesday’s Nations League semi-final against Germany in Munich, Fernandes confirmed he received an “exciting offer” from Al Hilal but wanted to be part of Ruben Amorim’s rebuild at Old Trafford.
Reports said Al Hilal were willing to pay United up to US$135 million for the 30-year-old Portugal international.
“The president of Al Hilal called me and asked me if I wanted to move there,” Fernandes confirmed, saying the club “waited for me to think about my future”.
“I talked to the gaffer and he asked me not to go,” Fernandes revealed. “Man United said they didn’t want to sell me. They said if I wanted to go I could but they didn’t need the money.”
The player said a transfer would have been “easy” with several Portuguese players already in Saudi Arabia, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves, but added: “I want to play at the highest possible level.
“I want to play major competitions. I know I still can and I want to be happy doing the thing I love the most,” he added. “For better or worse, this is how I see football and I’m passionate about football and this is the decision I’ve made.”
United endured their worst finish of the Premier League era, finishing 15th. They also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham.
United captain Fernandes was one of the few players to emerge with credit from a disastrous season, scoring 19 goals and making 19 assists across all competitions.
Former United captain Gary Neville, now a Sky Sports pundit, said the development was “significant”.
“I think that there was an element of this situation that meant United getting that level of money, for someone of Bruno’s age, obviously, you couldn’t say that it would have been a bad deal,” he said.
“But, on the other hand, Manchester United’s star player – only player at times – for the last four, five, six years, has been Bruno Fernandes. He’s so important.”
“To turn that money down at a point where Manchester United are at their lowest ebb and say, ‘No, I want to fight through this, I want to see it through the other side, I want to come out and achieve things,’ I think it says a lot about him as a person, as a character,” Neville added. “The club needs people who are going to run through a brick wall for them.”
United are expected to be busy in the transfer market as Amorim reshapes his under-performing squad.
The club have already signed Brazil forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves and are being heavily linked with Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.
Departures could include Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho.
Fernandes has made 290 appearances and scored 98 goals for United since his move from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020. (AFP)